Iran crisis of 1946

The Iran crisis of 1946 (November 1945-15 December 1946) was a crisis that occurred early in the Cold War when the Soviet-backed Azerbaijan People's Republic and the Republic of Mahabad seceded from the US and British-backed government of Iran. The crisis began in late 1945, when the US, British, and Soviet forces were supposed to withdraw from their occupation of Iran after World War II's end; instead of ordering a withdrawal, Joseph Stalin supported the creation of separatist republics in Azerbaijan and Kurdistan. The Kurds rallied to defend their homeland from the Iranian army, with 12,750 Peshmerga infantry and cavalry rising up to defend Mahabad from the Iranian army. Hundreds of Iranian soldiers were killed during the fighting with the separatist republics, and 2,000 people were killed before diplomatic pressure forced the Soviets to withdraw from Iran. This allowed for the Iranian government to crush the two separatist states, and Iran annexed the two countries.